Chapter 17: The Repatriation Agreement (Part II)

After a while, seeing that Kuang Chi had remained silent, the Third Elder continued, "Most of those who have invested in the joint-stock company established by Miss Jing are families under the control of our Tyrannosaurus Peak. The other few families appear to be inextricably linked to the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion; they are the ones who usually maintain close ties with those two factions."

Upon hearing this, Kuang Chi paused in thought for a long time before saying, "You mean to say that, despite all the maneuvering, they are ultimately still collaborating with you three factions."

The Third Elder gave a slight nod. A moment later, he added, "Young Master, what is Miss Jing’s true identity? Why is she so confident that the spaceship propulsion blueprints she possesses can enable a ship to leave this planet? Is she deceiving us?"

Kuang Chi smiled, looked at the Third Elder, and replied, "If I told you that Jing is a princess of the Piaofeng Empire, would you still doubt her?"

The Third Elder’s eyes widened in clear astonishment. After a long silence, he said, "That is impossible. How could a princess of the Piaofeng Empire be exiled to this Forgotten Star?"

Kuang Chi shook his head. "I never said she was exiled."

Kuang Chi then added, "Very well, do not concern yourself further with these matters. Focus on your own duties. Also, remember to send men to protect Princess Jing’s safety, and keep her identity strictly confidential. Aside from the elders and the Peak Master, it must not be revealed to anyone else."

The Third Elder nodded, his eyes filled with excitement.

No sooner had the Third Elder left than Anna walked in, pouting with a look of annoyance on her face.

As soon as she entered, she confronted Kuang Chi, saying, "Fatty, those guys from Tyrannosaurus Peak outside wouldn’t let me in!"

Kuang Chi looked at her eyes, which seemed on the verge of tears, and hurriedly said, "What happened? Why wouldn't they let you in? Don't cry. Tell me who it was, and I’ll teach them a lesson for you."

Anna replied angrily, "They said that no one is allowed to enter without your permission. Was it you who gave that order? If the Third Elder of Tyrannosaurus Peak hadn't just been walking out, I wouldn't have been able to get in at all. Are you avoiding me? Do you not want to see me anymore?"

Kuang Chi was taken aback, and it took a long time of coaxing before he finally brought a smile back to Anna’s face.

Once she was smiling, Anna said, "My grandfather asked me to tell you that if you have the time, you should come over to our place for a visit."

Three days after Kuang Chi received the news, the representatives from the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion arrived in Nostalgia City, led by the Great Elders of both factions. The entire city suddenly went quiet; the once bustling and crowded streets became deserted. All the common citizens had received notices from the City Lord’s mansion and the various major families, and they had all retreated into their homes.

The atmosphere in Nostalgia City was heavy, as if a storm were about to break.

After walking through the city briefly with Anna, Kuang Chi took her directly to find the two elders from Tyrannosaurus Peak.

He said plainly, "Invite the Great Elders of the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion on my behalf. I wish to dine with them today."

The Third Elder looked at Anna, who was standing to the side, and said, "Young Master, they are only the Great Elders of the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion; they hardly qualify for an invitation to dine with you. We should wait until our own Great Elder arrives."

Kuang Chi frowned and replied directly, "It is better if I speak with them personally. Just do as I say. When will the people from Tyrannosaurus Peak arrive?"

"It may take a few days, though it could be sooner. With the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion mobilizing so many experts, and even their Great Elders coming out in person, it is impossible that Tyrannosaurus Peak hasn't received word. Perhaps by the time our people reach the Peak Master, reinforcements will already be on their way to Nostalgia City."

That same day, Kuang Chi invited the City Lord of Nostalgia City, along with Jing, Anna, Anna’s grandfather, and the two Great Elders from the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion, to dine together at the finest restaurant in the city.

The Great Elders of the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion were very forthcoming and arrived immediately upon being invited.

After the usual pleasantries, Kuang Chi was the first to sit down, saying with a smile, "I believe everyone knows why I have invited you here today, so I will dispense with the formalities. Let us speak plainly. If the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion have any opinions on this matter, please state them directly."

The Great Elder of the Demon Valley was a strange old man whose body was so translucent that his blood vessels were visible. After Kuang Chi finished speaking, he simply turned to look at the Great Elder of the Green Smoke Pavilion sitting beside him.

The Great Elder of the Green Smoke Pavilion turned out to be a middle-aged, beautiful woman. She smiled at Kuang Chi, then glanced at the female City Lord and Anna’s grandfather, lingering especially on Anna for a moment before replying, "Young Master Kuang is a straightforward person, so let us be equally clear. The Green Smoke Pavilion and the Demon Valley have heard that you intend to collaborate with others to build a spaceship, and our two factions are very interested in this. We hope to engage in some necessary cooperation with you."

Kuang Chi smiled and said directly, "Tell me, how do you wish to cooperate?"

The other party pondered for a moment, exchanged glances with the Great Elder of the Demon Valley, and said, "It is said that you are planning to establish a joint-stock aerospace company. Our two factions wish to join. What does Young Master Kuang think of this?"

Kuang Chi did not answer immediately; instead, he looked at the female City Lord. When she noticed Kuang Chi’s gaze, her expression turned increasingly strained. Finally, she could only look toward Jing with a plea for help.

Kuang Chi, Jing, and the others perhaps did not fully grasp how immense the influence of Tyrannosaurus Peak, the Demon Valley, and the Green Smoke Pavilion was on Forgotten Star. But Si Qing, as the City Lord of Nostalgia City, understood it all too well. None of these factions could be offended by any city on Forgotten Star, including Nostalgia City, the largest of the nine.

Jing had heard about this from the City Lord a few days prior, so she spoke up immediately to decline: "Great Elders, I am truly sorry, but we cannot agree to this. Our aerospace company has already been formed. If the company expands its scale in the future, I will certainly notify you immediately. Furthermore, our company plans to build two transport ships intended solely for civilian use. We will only specialize in the transport of personnel and goods in the future. This is likely not what you two require, is it?"

The two Great Elders frowned and looked directly at Kuang Chi, who was busy enjoying the local delicacies of Nostalgia City. Kuang Chi smiled and said, "If the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion are interested, I actually think it would be a good thing to have you both join the company. With the strength of your two factions, the spaceship would certainly be safer to operate in the future."

The Great Elder of the Green Smoke Pavilion pondered for a while before finally asking, "Why only two ships? Can’t more be built? The Green Smoke Pavilion and the Demon Valley can fully provide all the necessary materials."

Before Kuang Chi could reply, Jing spoke up again: "The propulsion system I have provided is different from what humans have used in the past. This device requires a very specific material to function; otherwise, it cannot operate at all. As for me, I only have enough of these special materials to power three propulsion units."

The Great Elder of the Demon Valley interjected coldly, "Three units? Why did you only mention two ships?"

Jing made a face at Kuang Chi and added, "I gave the third unit to Kuang Chi as payment for helping us manufacture two propulsion systems."

Everyone turned their eyes toward Kuang Chi, even the female City Lord. Clearly, Jing had never mentioned this to anyone before.

After a while, the Great Elder of the Green Smoke Pavilion was the first to speak: "Young Master Kuang, do you also intend to use this propulsion system to build a transport ship?"

Kuang Chi glared at Jing, though he did not truly blame her, even though this method of distracting the Demon Valley and the Green Smoke Pavilion would indeed cause him and Tyrannosaurus Peak a great deal of trouble.

Kuang Chi took a bite of food, smiled, and said, "Of course it won't be a transport ship. I think two transport ships are enough for Forgotten Star, even if it is a bit sparse."

He smiled again and continued, "I have heard that the technology for ship hull plating on Forgotten Star is excellent. I was actually hoping to build a specialized vessel."

Having said this, Kuang Chi looked at the two Great Elders with a cheerful expression.

Neither of them appeared agitated or made any untoward movements. After a long time, the Great Elder of the Green Smoke Pavilion spoke once more: "Young Master Kuang, Miss Jing, I wonder if there is any way we can cooperate. Our goal is surely the same as yours; we only wish to leave this place and return to the homeland of our ancestors. I believe we could find many areas for collaboration. What do you think, Young Master Kuang?"

Kuang Chi found this reaction somewhat strange. Given the dominant position the two factions held together, they should not have been so easy to talk to.

Kuang Chi and Jing exchanged glances, and Jing asked directly, "How do you two hope to cooperate with us?"

The Great Elder of the Demon Valley suddenly spoke up: "Our request is simple. We hope that you two can find us a suitable foothold outside of the Abandoned Star Sector."

Kuang Chi understood this point easily. With their current physical appearance, returning to normal human society was impossible. However, the Green Smoke Pavilion should not have needed such a thing.

Kuang Chi could not help but turn his gaze to the Great Elder of the Green Smoke Pavilion.

The Great Elder understood what Kuang Chi was wondering and replied with a bitter smile, "There are also members of our Pavilion whose differences from ordinary humans are quite significant, and they need to be relocated."

Jing then asked, "Why do you all want to leave? I think this place is quite good."

For a moment, everyone except Kuang Chi and Jing looked visibly uncomfortable. After a long silence, as all eyes turned to the City Lord, Si Qing, she finally spoke with a look of profound loneliness: "To survive on Forgotten Star, one must continuously consume ant blood. Ant blood alters our constitution. While it changes our physiology, it also causes our descendants to become increasingly different from normal humans. Whether for the sake of our ancestors, ourselves, or our future generations, we must leave this place. We do not wish for our descendants to look less and less like human beings."

Having said this, Si Qing stopped, filled with sorrow, and turned her head away.